Atomizer and nebulizer.



No. 692,485. Patented Feb. 4, I902.

C. J. SELTZER.

ATUMIZER AND NEBULIZER.

(Application may. 19, 1900. 7 (No Model.) 1 2 Shdets-$heet l.

TNE Honms PETERS ca. micro-Luna, WAS N|NGTON. n. c.

No. 692,485. Patented Feb. 4, I902.-

c. J. SELTZER. ATOMIZEB AND usauuzen.

(Application filed Mar. 19, 1900.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Modal.)

1L1. m ms UNTTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CYRUS J. SELTZER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGEWVOODIVARD, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ATOIVHZE R AND NEBULI-ZiE R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 692,485, dated February4, 1902. Application filed March 19, 1900. Serial No. 9,282. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CYRUs J. SELTZER, of Philadelphia, State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Atomizersand N ebulizers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in atomizers and nebulizers, inwhich the spray may be alternately produced outside of the Vesselcontaining the liquid when it is desired to use the device as anatomizer or produced within the vessel and directed against the adjacentinterior wall thereof when it is desired to employ the device as anebulizer.

By using my device as an atomizer the usual coarse spray is produced ator adjacent to the atomizer-tip in the ordinary manner, while whenemploying my device as a nebulizer the spray is produced Within theliquid-containing receptacle and directed against the adjacent interiorwall thereof, thus causing the liquid to be finely divided ordisintegrated, and the finely disintegrated or nebulized liquid issuesfrom the receptacle in the form of an exceedingly fine mist or cloud.Both of these results are old and have been accomplished by numerouswell-known devices; but an apparatus capable of being interchangeablyused as either an atomizer or a nebulizer is novel; and my invention hasfor its object the production of such an apparatus in a convenient formwhich shall be highly efficient and at the same time simple inconstruction, durable, readily accessible for cleaning, and inexpensive.

A further object of my invention is to produce a simple form ofefficient nebulizer spraytube which can be made at a much less cost thanthe existing forms of tubes.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis application, in which similar reference-numerals indicatecorresponding parts in the severalviews.

Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional View illustrating theconstruction and general arrangement of my combined atomizer andnebulizer. Fig. 2 is a detail view, on a large scale, showing mynebulizer spray-tube in position within the vessel containing the liquidto be nebulized. Fig. 3 is a detail view on the same scale as Fig. 2,showing the construction of my nebulizer spray-tube. Fig. 4 is a detailview of the nebulizervessel, showing a form of liquid'seal forpreventing the nebulizer liquid from escaping therefrom into the vesselcontaining the fluid to be atomized. Fig. 5 is a detail View of thenebulizer-bottle, illustrating another form of liquid seal forpreventing the escapeof the liquid therefrom.

1 is a receptacle constructed of any suit able shape and material forcontaining the fluid 2 to be atomized.

3 is any suitable vessel for containing the liquid to be nebulized.

4 is the nebulizer spray tube, passing through the stopper or closure 5.Any common form of nebulizer spray-tube may be employed. The closure 5may be formed intogral with the receptacle 3 and the nebulizertube 4 orit may be secured thereto in any well-known manner, as by screw-threads,a close-fitting joint, cement, to. If desired, the closure 5 can beentirely omitted and the receptacle 3 be supported on the bottom ofreceptacle 1, with the tube i extending in proper position therein.

The closure 5 is provided with one or more apertures 6 to establish freecommunication between the interiors of the receptacles 1 and 3.

7 is the cap-piece for vessel 1, which is provided with a nipple 8 toenable proper connection to be made with a bulb or other source of airunder pressure. The nipple may be formed integral with the cap-piece orsecured thereto in any suitable way, this being merely a question ofmechanical expediency. The nebulizer spray-tube 4 is secured to thecappiece with its air-passage in communication with the passage 9through the nipple 8.

The cap-piece 7 carries the exterior or air tube 10 usual in atomizers,and this tube 10 may either be formed integral with the cappiece orsecured thereto in any well-known manner.

11 is the ordinary inner or liquid tube common to atomizers.

12 is the usual atomizer spray-tip. Any old form of detachable tip maybe employed in this position.

To employ my apparatus for nebulizing the fluid 13 of receptacle 3, thedetachable atomizer spray-tip 12 is removed, thus providing a free exitfrom the interior of vessel 1 through the outer tube 10. Air underpressure is then caused to pass through the passage 9, which through itscommunication with the air-passage in the nebulizer-tube 4 causes theliquid 13 to be sprayed against the interior surface of receptacle 3,and thus to be nebulized or disintegrated to an exceedingly fine degree.The nebulized fluid escapes from receptacle 3 through the aperture orapertures 6 into vessel 1, from which it issues through tube 10 in theform of a mist or cloud.

The successful operation of my apparatus as an atomizer depends on adiscovery made by myself as the result of a large number of experiments.Ihave discovered and definitely ascertained that when the tip 12 ispositioned on the end of the tube 10 in the usual and proper manner,thus greatly reducing the size of the exit-orifice from the tube 10, andair under pressure is then caused to pass through passage 9 andnebulizer spray-tube 4 in the usual way, as just described, theapparatus operates in the following manner: The air under pressureentering through passage 9 and nebulizer-tube 4 speedily causes amaterial increase of pressure in the air-spaces of the communicatingreceptacles 1 and 3, this being due to the greatly-reduced exitorificefrom tube 10. I have found that when this increase of pressure has beenestablished in the air-space'of receptacle 3 the liquid 13 is notnebulized by the action of the air passing through nebulizer-tube 4, theresultant mode of operation being that the increased pressure in theair-space of vessel 1 forces the liquid 2 up through the inner tube 11to the atomizer spray-tip 12, where it is atomized in the usual mannerby the air under pressure escaping through the greatly-reducedexit-orifice from the tube 10. Thus to change the action of my combinedapparatus from that of an atomizer to that of a nebulizer it isnecessary simply to remove the detachable atomizer spray-tip 12, andvice versa.

It will thus be seen that my apparatus is capable of being easily andquickly converted into either an atomizer or a nebulizer at will. Itwill also readily be seen that if it be desired to use my apparatussimply as a nebulizer the inner receptacle 3 could be entirely omittedand the fluid to be nebulized placed in the receptacle 1, theatomizer-tip 12 being also removed, as described. Again, if it bedesired to employ the apparatus simply as an atomizer, the innerreceptacle 3 and the nebulizer-tube 4 can be removed, the atomizer-tip12 being properly placed in position on the end of tube 10.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, 3 is a receptacle for containing theliquid 13 to be nebulized. 14c is a closure for receptacle 3 and isprovided with a short tube 15, which permits the nebulized liquid toissue from receptacle 3, but acts to prevent the liquid 13 from escapingin case the receptacle 3 be ac'- cidentally tipped over. 16 is myimproved form of nebulizer spray-tube. It consists, primarily, of anordinary tube 17, of rubber, glass, paraffined paper, or other suitablematerial, and an inner plug 18. The plug 18 is formed with the twodepressions or recesses 20 and 21, arranged as shown, or the plug may beformed as a rod and the depressions 20 and 21 afterward produced in it.

In constructing my nebulizer-tube I insert the plug 18, provided withthe depressed portions 20 and 21, in the tube 17 and then drill orotherwise form the passage 19 through one wall of tube 17 and throughplug 18 in such position as to communicate with the two depressions, asclearly shown, or the passage 19 may be formed separately in the tube 17and plug 18 and the two parts afterward assembled. The operation of thenebulizer spraytube is as follows: The air under pressure entering theair-passage 22 escapes with considerable velocity through thejet-passage 19. This jet of air flowing across the top of theliquid-passage 20 causes a decrease of pressure therein, whereby theliquid is drawn up in said liquid-passage and is sprayed by the air-jetin the well-known manner.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, which illustrate two forms of liquid seals,Fig. 4: shows a construction in which the receptacle 23 for thenebulizer fluid is provided with an integral rentrant part 24, throughwhich the nebulizer spray-tube ext-ends, said part being made ofsufficient size to provide an exit around the nebulizer spray-tube,acting to prevent the accidental escape of the liquid in receptacle 23and for the nebulized fluid. Fig. 5 shows a similar construction, inwhich the receptacle for the liquid to be nebulized is provided with adetachable cap 25, having a rentrant portion 24:.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent 1. In a combined atomizer and nebulizer, an outerreceptacle,-a cap=piece having a thick ened portion formed integraltherewith and provided withatube arranged in free communication with theinterior of said receptacle,an inner tube situated within the aforesaidtube and extending into the receptacle, a detachable atomizer spray-tipadapted to be positioned in the usual manner upon the adjacent outerends of the two tubes,a nipple carried by said cap-piece adjacent itsthickened portion and integral therewith,a passage formed in thethickened portion of said cap-piece and its integral nipple, an innerreceptacle situated within the outer receptacle, an apertured closurefor said inner receptacle for the free passage of air or vapor betweenthe interiors of the two receptacles, means carried by said closure toprevent the escape of liquid from the inner receptacle through saidaperture, a nebulizer spray-tube pendent from said cappiece and passingthrough the aperture in said closure, the passage in the cap-piece beingarranged in communication with the usual air-passage in thenebulizer-tube, sub stantially as described.

2. In a combined atomizer and nebulizer, an outer receptacle 1, acap-piece 7therefor, a nipple 8 integral with said cap-piece, a tube 10carried by said cap-piece, a tube 11 Within said tube 10 andextendinginto receptacle 1, an atomizer spray-tip 12 detachably carriedat the outer ends of tubes 10 and 11, an inner receptacle 3, a liquidseal 24 for said inner receptacle, a nebulizer spray-tube 16 carried bysaidcap-piece and extending within said inner receptacle, and a passage9 formed in one Wall of said cap-piece and its integral nipple, saidpassage 9 communicating with the usual air-passage in saidnebulizer-tube, substantially as described.

3. A nebulizer-tube comprising a tube of suitable material, a short rodor plug of a diameter throughout its length substantially equal to thebore of the tube, said rod or plug being positioned within the bore ofsaid tube, a passage extending through the wall of said tube and throughsaid plug, a recess in the upper portion of said plug and communicatingwith the bore of the tube: and with said passage, and a second recess insaid'plug extending upwardly from the bottom thereof and intersectingsaid passage, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand this 17th day of May, 1899,in the pres ence of two attesting Witnesses.

CYRUS J. SELTZERL Witnesses:

MALCOLM LLOYD, J r., EDWARD S. LOWER.

